This is just a reminder… This blog will be going away very shortly (hence, why no new posts in a while). For all my news, excerpts, and more on my writing, please visit my new blog at http://esthermitchell.wordpress.com
And for those interested in the paranormal/metaphysical side of things (news, lecture schedules, deals, and tidbits), please visit Wildflower Parapsychology & Metaphysics’ new blog at http://wildflowerpara.wordpress.com
Thanks! See you on the dark side!
Esther Mitchell
I don’t know if it’s because I’m a parapsychologist, or because I’m just naturally curious, but I’ve spent a large portion of my life defining my beliefs on the human condition and the spiritual realm. I’m fascinated by the way people think and even more by why they think that way. Even after all these years, and tons of personal experience, I remain in absolute awe of what the human mind and spirit is capable of. It is definitely my opinion that we, as a species, are capable of both great acts of courage and wonder, and terrible acts of depravity and horror.
To ask me what I believe in is a dangerous question. 
I don’t claim to have popular opinions. I’ll be the first to tell you I believe in an afterlife. I’ve had irrefutable personal proof of its existence. Does that mean I think everyone else should be required to believe it? No. Beliefs on the afterlife are a very personal thing, and everyone should base their beliefs on their own experiences. Do I believe in Heaven and Hell? To the horror of most religions (and the constant bemusement of other Pagans), I have to answer “yes and no.” I do not believe in the existence of a separate plane known as Heaven or Hell. That’s the no. What I believe is that we each make our own heaven and hell as we live. We choose whether we’re going to live in that heaven or hell, by our actions and choices. And we can tear them down as easily as they are built.
Do I believe in reincarnation? Yes, I do. To qualify this, I don’t believe in coming back as another animal (cool as that may sound …) I believe each species that reincarnates does so within the bounds of its own species. The shock would be too great, otherwise. But I do believe that people are reborn with lessons to learn, rewards to collect, and wrongs to make right. I believe in the existence of a Karmic balance, which determines a large part of who we are when we’re born.
Do I believe in ghosts? *chuckles* Yes would be such a mild answer to this! I’ve had so many paranormal encounters involving the spirit realm in my life, I’d have to be an idiot to not believe. But I believe in something more than ghosts. I believe in a realm that exists side-by-side with our own, a realm of the Unseen, populated by the spirits of nature, humans, animals, and by other spirits which are older and wiser than we are. I also believe in the existence of darker entities, in that realm. While I do not believe they often have as much influence as some claim, I do believe they are a reality, and an influence.
This barely scrapes the top of the barrel of my beliefs. There’s a lot more I’ll go into as time goes on…
I know I haven’t covered everything, here… There’s so much to cover I’d spend the next lifetime on the subject if I tried to encompass everything. So I figured this was as good a place as any to draw things to a close. If there’s anything you’ve read about that you have questions on, or anything you didn’t see here that you’d like information from me on, please feel free to e-mail me at esthermitchell (at) cox (dot) net. If I don’t have immediate access to the research, I can usually point people in the direction of someone who does.
On a final note about this lecture: The field of Parapsychology is an ever-growing and changing one, as we discover new things about the paranormal and the human mind and soul. Everything I’ve included in this lecture is built solely on my research and experience, and is in no way intended to be the end-all of discussion or information on the subject. I encourage anyone interested in studying the paranormal to do just that – study. Research is as important as practical experience, and the more we all learn, the further the field can expand and deepen. I can still be found with my nose in the research materials more often than not, and I’m constantly seeking out new sources of information, based on the findings and experiences of others. It is my firm belief that the kiss of death for any science is when those involved in it quit testing new theories, new concepts. I fully encourage debate, discussion, and the sharing of experiences and information. I believe that it is through sharing our experiences and evidence that we come to a better understanding of that which is, at current, unknown or misunderstood.
Thank you all for joining me for this series.
